The National tribune., 1887-06-23
THEY "HELD THE FORT"
The Magnificent Defense OF AllatOona Against
Overwhelming Odds.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I have read
COmrade Charles Van Garder's account of the
battle OF Allatoona, Ga, which / think can be
truly called the ThermOpylR of the late war.
i think what he writes is nearly correct as far
as it goes He gives the regiments of the bril-
gade which came to the relief of the little garri-
son on the night Of the 4th Of October, COM
manded BY Gen. Corse But he does not name
the regiments of the garrison, nor have ever
seen published those regiments. This is why
/ especially write this sketch.
They were the ODD ILL.,, Lieut.-Col. Nicholas
Buzwell commanding; the 4th Mimi, Col.
Iourtclotte; seven companies of the 18th Wis,
and the 18th Wis. battery. The three other
companies Of the 18th Wis. were stationed in
the block house, six miles south, to guard the
bridge over the Etowah River. These cOmpa-
nies were captured on the afternoon of the 4th
of October
Our pickets fred on the rebels about mid
night. rs they were going into camp on Pump
kin Vine Creek and getting ready for the at
tack the next morning. This aroused the
garrison to arms in the darkness. Gen. COrse
at this time had not arrived with his brigade,
and did not till ? o'clock. At sunrise on the
9th the rebels opened on Us with their artil-
lery, planted some two miles south of town.
Our battery at once replied from either side of
the deep railroad cut, where our forts Were
built. A brisk cannOnading was kept up for
some two hours, when the rebel guns were
slenced by shell bursting among them.
1t was during this time, as l understand it,
that the signaling took place between Gems.
Sherman and Corse of which so much has been
written. 1 remember we'll seeing the signal
flags waving on the east of the cut, in front of
the 18th Mimi. 1t was during this time also,
that the rebel Gen. French was closing in
around our forces on the west and north with
1000 or 5000 infantry.
About . o'clock letter was sent in by Gen.
French to Gen. Corse, demanding can uncon-
ditional surrender, and thus save needless ef-
fusion of blood" Gen. COrses reply was, in
substance. that he might move his forces on
our works as soon as he saw fit; that he
Corsc-was ready TO meet all responsibility of
needless etlusion of blood"
Soon the assault was begun, and charge after
charge was made, but each time they were re-
pulsed by the firm and steady aim of the little
Spartan band. Gen. COrse was wounded on
the cheek and neck early in the engagement.
aud the command was assumed for time by
Col. Rowell.
As Comrade Van Garder says, the day was
undoubtedly saved, and 100 gallant men
spared the prisoners fate from the fact that
the 9TH III. was armed with Henry rifles. 1t
was o'clock or past when the rebel force re-
tired from the strife, leaving their dead and
wounded on the field. Our loss was severe as
well as the enemy's. What was the loss OF
other regiments / cannot say, but know that
/ had charge of the burial party of our regi-
ment. the 93d ILL.,, the next day, when % were
laid side by side in one long grave
If any one else has any items regarding this
battle that have not been mentioned, think
those of us who were there would like TO have
them written up, and thus by Fighting
Them Over" we shall get all the facts concern
ing Hold the Fort, for / am Coming"-Serg't
J. L. ISGHAM Co. +, 93d ILL.,, Gibbon, Neb.